Chapter 6.

As Valerie made her way out of the bathroom, she was greeted by her Chief once more before they walked and sat back in their seats.

"How are you feeling, Valerie?" he asked.

"I am good, Boss. Still shaken..." she responded.

The silence was expressed between them both again. And now, he was the first one to break it. "I want you to stay at home. I am not suspending you. But I am giving you a few days off, Detective.".

"But... I- I don't need it, Chief. I am fine.".

"You said it yourself," he began. "You are shaken. I want to give you some time off. It'll only do you good.".

She kept her eyes on her boss. "But I am getting paid this week...".

"You know that with me, money is not an issue, Detective," he responded.

She nodded her head, but before anything else could be said, Valerie's phone rang. Pulling it out of her pocket, she saw the caller ID. Nelly. 

She answered the call.

"Nelly...".

"Val, hey," she began. "I tried ringing you up earlier, but you didn't pick up, so I assumed you were busy...".

"Y-yeah... yeah," Valerie responded.

"You don't sound too well, Val...".

"I'm not..." Valerie began. "But I'll be okay.".

"Work stuff?".

Initially, she nodded as if Nelly could see her through her phone. "Yeah...".

"I'm sorry, Val...". She paused for a moment. "I just wanted to call you up to see how you're keeping. I heard more shit on the radio and it scared me...".

Valerie stopped, she looked at the ground as her hand went on her hip, "What did you hear?".

"These... these attacks are happening, Val," Nelly began. "They say it's people who are infected. Their agitation increases.".

Immediately, Valerie's mind went back to the attacks her team and her witnesses. Her heart paused a beat. "The infected tend to be violent?".

"Maybe it's not all of them..." Nelly said. "But be careful. I know you work with people, you're a detective.".

At first, Valerie nodded her head. Her friend's words came as the sort of consolation she needed. But then, she furrowed her brows as she ran over her words. "Nelly?...".

"I am leaving the country, Valerie. James and I are leaving for Arittoria, to go to my parent's place. They said it's safe - safer - there.".

"You're... leaving?" Valerie tried to fathom what Nelly just said.

"I- I figured it would be safer there for us, James and I... We can and we will make a space for one more if you'd like to come along, Val," she said.

"I-... I don't...". Valerie gulped, finding herself on her feet. She looked back at her boss who had his eyes on her. "But what about my job, Nelly?...".

"I don't think you'll have a job for much longer, Val..." Nelly began. "I feel like something is happening, something bad. And I need to get the fuck out of here, Valerie.".

Initially, Valerie responded with silence. "I- I understand...". Her friend's words rang in her head. And after what Valerie saw today, she knew that Nelly was right. Something was happening. "Go, you go and be safe, Nelly. I'll be fine here.".

"Valerie..." Nelly voiced gently. "Are you sure?...".

"Yes..." Valerie responded.

All the while Valerie was on the phone with Nelly, a doctor opened the double door and walked out toward the nurse by the table. She gave him the clipboard she filled out not too long ago. And with him approaching Valerie, who had her back toward him, he spoke up. "My apologies, it was brought to my attention that you're the partner of our latest patient.".

Valerie jumped before turning. "I'll call you in a moment, Nelly...".

"Patient? What?? Val, wher-". She hung up the call before Nelly could finish her sentence.

"Yes, yes I am. How is he?".

The doctor bit his lips, but after a second he proceeded to say. "He's in a critical condition. He lost a lot of blood. However, we managed to stop the bleeding and we got him to the Intensive Care Unit.".

"Will he survive?" Valerie's Chief asked as he approached from behind.

"My apologies, I don't think I got your name.".

"I am Chief Atticus Raymond. Officer Tim Keegan's employer," the Chief responded before looking Valerie's way. "And also Detective Valerie Simmons's," he added.

The doctor nodded his head before looking down into the clipboard in his hands. "Do you know what happened to Officer Keegan?" he asked, looking and moving his gaze from Valerie to her Chief and back to her.

"No... I don't," the Chief began. "I was hoping you'd be able to clarify what happened, doctor...".

"He got bitten in the leg," Valerie spoke up straight after. "I was there when it happened. From then on, I helped him and we managed to get out of the forest.".

"Was it a dog that bit him?" The doctor asked, looking toward Valerie.

Valerie went silent for a moment, trying to think back. She remembered Tim's scream, him moving away and once he did, when she looked his way, she saw a dog. "Yes," Valerie responded in the end.

"Alright, I was asking, since we do have evidence of an animal bite. A very deep one too. The wound had already suffered an infection by the time I managed to examine it, which could have been caused by anything in the forest." With that, the doctor paused for a brief moment. "However, my worst fear is that the dog had rabies. Which means that the pathogen could be in Officer Keegan.".

"Well... can you know for sure?" the Chief inquired.

"We will need to perform tests on Officer Keegan to be sure. However, time is of the essence. With rabies, the virus tends to act fast. We've taken his blood and sent it for analysis. However, now, there's nothing much we can do," the doctor spoke. "I do recommend for you to go home. Either of you two can leave me a phone number and the hospital will call you if anything serious comes about.".

"Alright, doctor," Chief Raymond responded. "We'll do that then. You can have my phone number.".

The exchange between the doctor and Valerie's boss lasted a few seconds before the doctor once more approached Valerie. "Detective Simmons, you seem to have a scratch or two on your face. Are you okay?".

She nodded her head. "I am fine, thank you, Doctor.".

"Alright..." he started, smiling warming. "I'll try my best to ensure Officer Keegan recovers.".

And with that, both Valerie and Chief Raymond exited the hospital. Valerie followed her boss to his car and upon entry, he asked. "Should I drop you off home, Detective?".

"The police station would be fine. I need to pick up my car from the parking lot outside the reception.".

"Are you sure? Would you be able to drive?" he asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I drove both myself and Tim to the hospital," she responded, seeing her boss nod his head.

"Alright. Buckle up.".

"Yes, sir," she responded. As they made their way from the parking lot, that was when Valerie remembered. "What about the car?".

"I'll take care of it. You don't have to worry about that.".

Within minutes, they arrived in front of the police station. With Valerie getting out, she went over to her car before getting into it and powering it up. Reversing out of the parking lot, she proceeded to drive home. 

Entering a roundabout and driving into her estate, she was greeted by another car parked by the curb, in front of her house. Nelly's boyfriend.

Parking her car in the driveway, she hopped out of her car and made her way to the door. With a knock, she entered the house.

"There you are!? I've been trying to get you! But you're not answering your phone," Nelly exclaimed as she sped out into the hallway.

Reaching for her phone, Valerie was confused as to why it didn't ring. But as she tried to turn it on, she realised it had died. "How convenient...".

Nelly shook her head as she took a better look at Valerie. "What happened?... W-why do you look like that?...". And then looking at her bottoms, by the leggings of her jeans, she noticed blood. Nelly widened her eyes. "You've got blood on you too... What happened, Valerie!?" she repeated her question.

Valerie went blank. She tried to think of something to say. Anything, but nothing came to mind. She reminded herself then, seconds later, that she knew better than to lie to her best friend. "I was sent out to investigate a missing person's case for two fellow officers, on top of a family of three. And... when my team and I got there, the campsite was empty but then... as we investigated more... these... creatures came out and... and they attacked us...".

Nelly froze in her place as her boyfriend came up behind her. "They... attacked you?...".

"I didn't get injured. They bit a colleague of mine. He's in the hospital now.". 

"Were they infected?..." Nelly asked, slowly backing away from Valerie.

"Nelly... hey...".

"I can't..." she began. "If they were infected, I can't risk getting it too... We can't risk getting it...". She looked at her boyfriend.

"I- I'm not infected though... I don't feel unwell. I feel fine, Nelly... James.".

Valerie tried to walk up toward Nelly, but she stopped her again. "Don't...".

"Nelly??...".

"I... I'm pregnant, Valerie...". She paused. "I can't risk it... If it wasn't for... for the baby...".

Valerie bit her lower lip as she took a step back to where she was when she initially entered the house. Putting her hands up in a form of surrender, she spoke out, "I understand.".

Silence settled between them all as Valerie shifted her eyes between James and Nelly.

"We'll be leaving soon. We don't want to cause you any more hassle..." Nelly spoke out, handing the bags she held for James to carry.

"Would I have enough time for a quick shower so I can walk you both out?" Valerie asked, getting ready to make her way up the stairs.

"Alright," Nelly spoke as she turned around. "We'll carry out my things to the car.".

Valerie didn't reply, instead, she walked up the stairs before getting herself clean clothes and taking a shower. Going back down the steps, with her hair wet, she saw both Nelly and James by his car, placing the last of Nelly's stuff into the trunk of the car.

"Well, that was fast," Nelly commented, a smile on her face. However, Valerie didn't express the same. "Thank you for everything, Valerie. Really... Call me often, I'd like to hear more about your work and whatnot...".

"You disappointed me, Nelly... I thought we were like sisters. What I felt when you stepped away from me... it was like I was betrayed by my own. And I understand, pregnancy and all. But we've lived together for long enough for you to know how I am..." Valerie spoke out. "I would never risk myself, let alone you.".

"I- I didn't mean it... I didn't mean it like that, Valerie...".

"You know I hate excuses, Nelly..." Valerie began. "Have a great life, both you and James... Goodbye.".

Nelly bit her lip before turning around and walking to James's car. Valerie didn't wait to wave them off, instead, she walked back inside and closed the door behind her. 

She tried her best to not let her tears get the best of her.